General Info Capital: Madrid Population: Approximately 47 million Demographics: Distinct ethnic groups within Spain include the Basques, Catalans, and Galicians. 70% of Spain’s student population attends public schools or universities Average life expectancy is 79 years. Religion: No official religion. 94% Roman-Catholic; 6% Islamic and Protestant Official Languages: Spanish (74%), Catalan, Valencian, Galician, Basque Monetary System: Euro. Economy: 12th largest in the world
Largely agricultural
World’s largest producer of olive oil
Europe’s largest producer of strawberries, oranges, and lemons
Industries are concentrated around Madrid
Tourism is Spain’s greatest source of income
Most exports are machinery and pharmaceuticals
Unemployment Rate: 21.5%
Geography
Spain is located in Southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It is approximately 504,000 square miles and covers 84% of Iberian Peninsula. It is bordered by the countries of Portugal and France, as well as the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and the Bay of Biscay. The land is mostly flat plateau, however, the altitude varies from sea level to 3,718 meters above sea level on the Canary Islands, which makes it the 2nd highest European Country after Switzerland. Spain has 5 major mountain ranges: Sierra Morena, Cordillera Cantabrica, Pyrenees, Sistema Central, and Cordillera Subbetica. It has a temperate climate (clear and hot summers, cloudy and cold winters) with temperatures averaging 50 degrees at the lowest, and 75 degrees at the hottest.The country is split into 19 autonomous communities (15 on mainland, 4 islands) each with their own capital.
Government
Spain's government is a Constitutional Monarchy, ruled by the Constitution of Spain (approved 1978). The government has 3 main independent institutions: an Assembly of Representatives, an Assembly of Senators, and a Judicial Branch. The Monarchy is the Constitutional Head of State, however, the King's duties are mainly only ceremonial. The monarch is responsible for appointing officials and being the commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces. Since 1975, the King of Spain has been His Majesty King Carlos 1.The President of Government (or Prime Minister) is the main political figurehead. He/she is nominated by the King of Spain and elected by the Congress of Deputies. It is the duty of the President to appoint vice-presidents to ministries, such as finance or foreign affairs. The current President of Spain is Mariano Rajoy, of the People's Party of Spain, who was elected in 2011.
Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy King of Spain, Juan Carlos I
History The Beginning.
The Iberian Peninsula has been settled for thousands of years, but in the 2nd century BC, Romans began to enter Spain. Romans are significant because they laid the foundation for Spain's current religion, language, and laws. They remained the dominating group until the 7th century AD when Moors from North Africa arrived. The Moors then became the dominating group for almost 4 centuries. During this time, Christians strove to regain territory in Spain from the Muslims in the 800-year Reconquest. Christians had to pay a special tax, and this caused most to either converted to Islam or left Spain. However, by 757 AD many Muslim strongholds had fallen to the Christians and they now occupied almost one-fourth of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Spanish Inquisition.
In 1479, Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand began ruling Spain. In 1482 they launched the final crusade of the Reconquest with the goal of routing out all Spaniards who did not practice Christianity as the Catholic Church wished them to. In April 1492 they ordered the expulsion of all Jewish peoples who refused to have a Christian Baptism. A few years later, the overseer of the Inquisition, Cardinal Cisneros attempted to eradicate Islam from Spain, as well. He carried out forced mass baptisms, burned Islamic books and banned the Arabic language.
Spain's Conquest.
The Spanish Conquistadors brought large areas of the New World under Spain's control. They also contributed to the Spanish economy by introducing many plants, fruits, and vegetables to Europe.Francisco Pizarro was a conquistador who's expeditions discovered Panama, the Pacific Ocean, and Costa Rica. Pizarro is also credited with founding the city of Lima, which is now the capital of Peru. When Pizarro found the Peruvian city of Cusco, he wrote back to King Charles I saying "This city is the greatest and the finest ever seen in this country or anywhere in the Indies... We can assure your Majesty that it is so beautiful and has such fine buildings that it would be remarkable even in Spain." Another Spanish Conquistador is Hernando Cortes, who led an expedition into Mexico and conquered the Aztec Empire. The most famous conquistador is Christopher Columbus, who was not actually born in Spain, but sailed for Spain to the American Continents. He explored Cuba, the Bahamas, Haiti, and is credited with discovering America.
Christopher Columbus, Hernando Cortes, Francisco Pizarro
Tourism Bilbao Guggenheim Art Museum
Located in the center of the city of Bilbao
Houses 19 different galleries, including work from Picasso and Dali
Plaza de Cibeles
Located in a grand square in Madrid
Houses the following:
The Fuente de la Cibeles, one of the most important symbols in Madrid, built in 1777
The Communications Palace, Madrid's official "City Hall"
Spain's central bank headquarters
Palacio de Linares, a cultural center and art gallery
The Alhambra
Built in the 1300's in Granada, Spain
Moorish Palace of the Nasrid Dynasty
Culture The Running of the Bulls
Annually from July 7-14 n the city of Pamplona
Runners gather at the bottom of Santo Domingo until 12 fighting bulls are released
The bulls run a half mile behind the runners until they are finally put into pens
Tradition started in 1591 to honor a patron saint
Fútbol
Spain's national sport
There are sports newspaper dedicated entirely to it
The Royal Spanish Football Federation is the organizing body
Food
Tortilla de Patata (Spanish Omelet) is the most commonly served dish in Spain
Contains potatoes, onions, and eggs
The Paella is also one of the most common dishes
It is a mixture of meat, beans, vegetables, and rice
In the middle of Spain's current economic crisis, many families were unable to pay their mortgages and were being evicted from their houses. The economy minister said that the government realizes how humiliating the evictions are, and has introduced a plan to parliament to prevent banks from predatory lending. The code of conduct for the banks requires that the surrender of the house be the only payment for those who default on their mortgages, no monetary compensation can be required. This action shows that Spain's government is responsive and sympathetic to its citizens.
In May 2007, a shipwrecked galleon was discovered in the Atlantic Ocean near Portugal. The ship is believed to be the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes, a Spanish ship that was sunk in 1804. Approximately 500 million dollars worth of silver coins and artifacts were on the ship, and it may be the richest shipwreck treasure in history. A Florida-based company spent $2.6 million salvaging, transporting, and storing the treasure until it can be returned to Spain. The company is not expecting any compensation for this, though, because the Spanish government says they shouldn't have tried to salvage the treasure in the first place.
Kingdom of Spain
General Info
Capital: Madrid
Population: Approximately 47 million
Demographics: Distinct ethnic groups within Spain include the Basques, Catalans, and Galicians.
70% of Spain’s student population attends public schools or universities
Average life expectancy is 79 years.
Religion: No official religion. 94% Roman-Catholic; 6% Islamic and Protestant
Official Languages: Spanish (74%), Catalan, Valencian, Galician, Basque
Monetary System: Euro.
Economy: 12th largest in the world
Largely agricultural
World’s largest producer of olive oil
Europe’s largest producer of strawberries, oranges, and lemons
Industries are concentrated around Madrid
Tourism is Spain’s greatest source of income
Most exports are machinery and pharmaceuticals
Unemployment Rate: 21.5%
Geography
Spain is located in Southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It is approximately 504,000 square miles and covers 84% of Iberian Peninsula. It is bordered by the countries of Portugal and France, as well as the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and the Bay of Biscay. The land is mostly flat plateau, however, the altitude varies from sea level to 3,718 meters above sea level on the Canary Islands, which makes it the 2nd highest European Country after Switzerland. Spain has 5 major mountain ranges: Sierra Morena, Cordillera Cantabrica, Pyrenees, Sistema Central, and Cordillera Subbetica. It has a temperate climate (clear and hot summers, cloudy and cold winters) with temperatures averaging 50 degrees at the lowest, and 75 degrees at the hottest.The country is split into 19 autonomous communities (15 on mainland, 4 islands) each with their own capital.
Government
Spain's government is a Constitutional Monarchy, ruled by the Constitution of Spain (approved 1978). The government has 3 main independent institutions: an Assembly of Representatives, an Assembly of Senators, and a Judicial Branch. The Monarchy is the Constitutional Head of State, however, the King's duties are mainly only ceremonial. The monarch is responsible for appointing officials and being the commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces. Since 1975, the King of Spain has been His Majesty King Carlos 1.The President of Government (or Prime Minister) is the main political figurehead. He/she is nominated by the King of Spain and elected by the Congress of Deputies. It is the duty of the President to appoint vice-presidents to ministries, such as finance or foreign affairs. The current President of Spain is Mariano Rajoy, of the People's Party of Spain, who was elected in 2011.
Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy
King of Spain, Juan Carlos I
History
The Beginning.
The Iberian Peninsula has been settled for thousands of years, but in the 2nd century BC, Romans began to enter Spain. Romans are significant because they laid the foundation for Spain's current religion, language, and laws. They remained the dominating group until the 7th century AD when Moors from North Africa arrived. The Moors then became the dominating group for almost 4 centuries. During this time, Christians strove to regain territory in Spain from the Muslims in the 800-year Reconquest. Christians had to pay a special tax, and this caused most to either converted to Islam or left Spain. However, by 757 AD many Muslim strongholds had fallen to the Christians and they now occupied almost one-fourth of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Spanish Inquisition.
In 1479, Catholic Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand began ruling Spain. In 1482 they launched the final crusade of the Reconquest with the goal of routing out all Spaniards who did not practice Christianity as the Catholic Church wished them to. In April 1492 they ordered the expulsion of all Jewish peoples who refused to have a Christian Baptism. A few years later, the overseer of the Inquisition, Cardinal Cisneros attempted to eradicate Islam from Spain, as well. He carried out forced mass baptisms, burned Islamic books and banned the Arabic language.
Spain's Conquest.
The Spanish Conquistadors brought large areas of the New World under Spain's control. They also contributed to the Spanish economy by introducing many plants, fruits, and vegetables to Europe.Francisco Pizarro was a conquistador who's expeditions discovered Panama, the Pacific Ocean, and Costa Rica. Pizarro is also credited with founding the city of Lima, which is now the capital of Peru. When Pizarro found the Peruvian city of Cusco, he wrote back to King Charles I saying "This city is the greatest and the finest ever seen in this country or anywhere in the Indies... We can assure your Majesty that it is so beautiful and has such fine buildings that it would be remarkable even in Spain." Another Spanish Conquistador is Hernando Cortes, who led an expedition into Mexico and conquered the Aztec Empire. The most famous conquistador is Christopher Columbus, who was not actually born in Spain, but sailed for Spain to the American Continents. He explored Cuba, the Bahamas, Haiti, and is credited with discovering America.
Christopher Columbus, Hernando Cortes, Francisco Pizarro
Tourism
Bilbao Guggenheim Art Museum
Located in the center of the city of Bilbao
Houses 19 different galleries, including work from Picasso and Dali
Plaza de Cibeles
Located in a grand square in Madrid
Houses the following:
The Fuente de la Cibeles, one of the most important symbols in Madrid, built in 1777
The Communications Palace, Madrid's official "City Hall"
Spain's central bank headquarters
Palacio de Linares, a cultural center and art gallery
The Alhambra
Built in the 1300's in Granada, Spain
Moorish Palace of the Nasrid Dynasty
Culture
The Running of the Bulls
Annually from July 7-14 n the city of Pamplona
Runners gather at the bottom of Santo Domingo until 12 fighting bulls are released
The bulls run a half mile behind the runners until they are finally put into pens
Tradition started in 1591 to honor a patron saint
Fútbol
Spain's national sport
There are sports newspaper dedicated entirely to it
The Royal Spanish Football Federation is the organizing body
Food
Tortilla de Patata (Spanish Omelet) is the most commonly served dish in Spain
Contains potatoes, onions, and eggs
The Paella is also one of the most common dishes
It is a mixture of meat, beans, vegetables, and rice
Current Events
http://www.expatica.com/es/news/spanish-news/spain-plans-code-to-protect-poor-from-eviction_210023.html
In the middle of Spain's current economic crisis, many families were unable to pay their mortgages and were being evicted from their houses. The economy minister said that the government realizes how humiliating the evictions are, and has introduced a plan to parliament to prevent banks from predatory lending. The code of conduct for the banks requires that the surrender of the house be the only payment for those who default on their mortgages, no monetary compensation can be required. This action shows that Spain's government is responsive and sympathetic to its citizens.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57382369/$500m-salvaged-treasure-being-returned-to-spain/
In May 2007, a shipwrecked galleon was discovered in the Atlantic Ocean near Portugal. The ship is believed to be the Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes, a Spanish ship that was sunk in 1804. Approximately 500 million dollars worth of silver coins and artifacts were on the ship, and it may be the richest shipwreck treasure in history. A Florida-based company spent $2.6 million salvaging, transporting, and storing the treasure until it can be returned to Spain. The company is not expecting any compensation for this, though, because the Spanish government says they shouldn't have tried to salvage the treasure in the first place.
Resources
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2878.htm
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/history
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/famous-spanish-conquistadors.html
http://www.destination360.com/europe/spain/guggenheim-museum
http://www.aviewoncities.com/madrid/plazadecibeles.htm
http://www.spain-info.com/Culture/bullrunning.htm